Right way to cultivate Right Thinking (samma sankappa)?

[starter]

Understood today the difference between ill will (persistent hostility/hatred and will for others' suffering) and anger (could be temporary and non-persistent without hostility and ill will). The second path factor to perfect is non-ill will, not non-anger or non-aversion. The non-returners don't have self-identity view (five aggregates are non-self, plus non-eternal "self"), wrong grasp of sila and other rules/observances, doubts/uncertainties, sensual desires of five senses, and ill will (not anger/aversion).

Metta to all!

[starter]

Just to add the suttas on the drawbacks of sensuality:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html

Metta to all!

[starter]

Just to add the application of 4NT in cultivating samma sankappa summarizing the teachings in MN 117, SĀ 785 and SĀ 789:

"And what is the right resolve that is without asava's, transcendent, a factor of the path? The thinking, directed thinking, resolve, (mental) fixity, transfixion, focused awareness, & verbal fabrications of one developing the noble path whose mind is noble, whose mind is without asava's, who is fully possessed of the noble path. This is the right resolve that is without asava's, transcendent, a factor of the path." (MN 117)

A noble disciple attends to suffering and contemplates suffering; attends to the cause of suffering and contemplates the cause; attends to the cessation of suffering and contemplates the cessation; attends to the path and contemplates the path; [directing/inclination of the mind + fixation of the mind + absorption of the mind (on an intention/thought -- non-sensuality, or non-ill will, or non-cruelty)], discriminate (each intention/thought), resolve, understand, repeatedly incline/direct the mind and make resolution for right intention/thoughts. [何等為正志是聖、出世間、無漏、不取、正盡苦、轉向苦邊？謂：聖弟子苦、苦思惟，集……滅……道、道思惟，無漏思惟相應心法，分別、自決、意解、計數、立意，是名正志，是聖、出世間、無漏、不取、正盡苦、轉向苦邊。SĀ 785]

Metta to all!

[starter]

Dear Friends,

Happy new year!

Today I read Ajahn Chah's touching Dhamma talk "The Last Gift", which is very helpful for letting-go of our worldly attachments. I'd like to share with you the following quotes:

"Everything has to change in line with its condition. The truth of these conditions—if you try to fix them in a way that’s not right— won’t respond at all."

"The Buddha looked at things in line with their conditions, that they simply have to be that way. So we let them go, we leave them be."

"There’s nothing that’s really you or yours." "If any preoccupation comes in to bother the mind, just say in your heart, “Leave me alone. Don’t bother me. You’re no affair of mine.”

"What’s the world? The world is any preoccupation that gets you stirred up, that disturbs you right now."

"If it arises in the mind, make yourself understand: The world is nothing but a preoccupation."

"The heart has seen the truth of the way things are: There’s no way you can fix them. They’re just the way they are. You let them go. You let go without gladness. You let go without sadness. You just let things go as fabrications, seeing with your own discernment that that’s the way fabrications are." [nibbida]

"Build a home so you can let go, so that you can leave things be. Let the mind reach peace. Peace is something that doesn’t move forward, doesn’t move back, doesn’t stay in place."

"Today I’ve brought you some dhamma as a gift in your time of illness. I don’t have any other gift to give. There’s no need to bring you any material gift, for you have plenty of material things in your house, and over time they just cause you difficulties. So I’ve brought you some dhamma, something of substance that will never run out. Now that you’ve heard this dhamma, you can pass it on to any number of other people, and it’ll never run out. It’ll never stop. It’s the truth of the dhamma, a truth that always stays as it is."

With metta,

Starter

[starter]

I'd like to share my updated understanding concerning how to cultivate Right Thinking, and would like to get your input:

1) First step: understand the true meaning of sensuality and renunciation (non-sensuality), comprehend sensual desire entirely -- learn the breadth/diversity of sensual desires,their various manifestations, and lust-inducing objects.

Likewise, comprehend ill will / non-ill will and harming/non-harming.

2) Second step: be clearly aware of the thinking imbued with sensual desire / ill will / harming -- detect the thoughts as soon as they arise; likewise, be clearly aware of thinking imbued with renunciation / non-ill will / non-harming [in other words, thinking of letting-go of sensual desire / ill will /harming) and detect them as soon as they arise, and keep dividing the thinking into two sorts (wholesome thoughts and unwholesome thoughts) as the Buddha did:

"'Why don't I keep dividing my thinking into two sorts?' So I made thinking imbued with sensuality, thinking imbued with ill will, & thinking imbued with harmfulness one sort, and thinking imbued with renunciation, thinking imbued with non-ill will, & thinking imbued with harmlessness another sort." (MN 19)

It helps to know how sensual desire comes to arise (through unwise attention to lust-inducing objects) and when/how it subsides (through wise attention to remove the attention from lust-inducing objects). When sensual desire arises, switch the mind from wanting to mindfulness – mindfulness of the arising and fading away of the desire, noting the transition from wanting to becoming free from wanting and the greater happiness of peace and ease arising from not wanting, noting the transition from being lost in sensual pleasure to becoming mindful of the sensuality.

3) Third step: comprehend and familiarize the drawbacks/danger of sensual pleasures / ill will / harming, and the reward of renunciation / non-ill will / non-harming thoroughly, so that the heart will leap up at renunciation / non-ill will / non-harming:

"So it is, Ananda. So it is. Even I myself, before my Awakening, when I was still an unawakened Bodhisatta, thought: 'Renunciation is good. Seclusion is good.' But my heart didn't leap up at renunciation, didn't grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace. The thought occurred to me: 'What is the cause, what is the reason, why my heart doesn't leap up at renunciation, doesn't grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace?' Then the thought occurred to me: 'I haven't seen the drawback of sensual pleasures; I haven't pursued [that theme]. I haven't understood the reward of renunciation; I haven't familiarized myself with it. That's why my heart doesn't leap up at renunciation, doesn't grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace.'

"Then the thought occurred to me: 'If, having seen the drawback of sensual pleasures, I were to pursue that theme; and if, having understood the reward of renunciation, I were to familiarize myself with it, there's the possibility that my heart would leap up at renunciation, grow confident, steadfast, & firm, seeing it as peace.'

"So at a later time, having seen the drawback of sensual pleasures, I pursued that theme; having understood the reward of renunciation, I familiarized myself with it. My heart leaped up at renunciation, grew confident, steadfast, & firm, seeing it as peace. ... " (AN 9.41)



4) Fourth step: apply the above understanding and the methods the Buddha taught us in MN 19 and 20 into abandoning unwholesome thoughts and cultivating wholesome thoughts, and this should be done in whichever postures (Iti 4.11; Iti 115).

"And as I remained thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, thinking imbued with sensuality [ill will, harming] arose in me. I discerned that 'Thinking imbued with sensuality [ill will, harming] has arisen in me; and that leads to my own affliction or to the affliction of others or to the affliction of both. It obstructs discernment, promotes vexation, & does not lead to Unbinding.'

"As I noticed that it leads to my own affliction, it subsided. As I noticed that it leads to the affliction of others... to the affliction of both... it obstructs discernment, promotes vexation, & does not lead to Unbinding, it subsided. Whenever thinking imbued with sensuality [ill will, harming] had arisen, I simply abandoned it, destroyed it, dispelled it, wiped it out of existence."

"And as I remained thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, thinking imbued with renunciation [non-ill will, non-harming] arose in me. I discerned that 'Thinking imbued with renunciation [non-ill will, non-harming] has arisen in me; and that leads neither to my own affliction, nor to the affliction of others, nor to the affliction of both. It fosters discernment, promotes lack of vexation, & leads to Unbinding. If I were to think & ponder in line with that even for a night... even for a day... even for a day & night, I do not envision any danger that would come from it, except that thinking & pondering a long time would tire the body. When the body is tired, the mind is disturbed; and a disturbed mind is far from concentration.' So I steadied my mind right within, settled, unified, & concentrated it. Why is that? So that my mind would not be disturbed." (MN19)

For the other four methods for dispelling unwholesome thoughts see MN 20.

§ 110. {Iti 4.11; Iti 115}
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: "If, while he is walking, there arises in a monk a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harmfulness, and he does not quickly abandon, dispel, demolish, or wipe that thought out of existence, then a monk walking with such a lack of ardency & concern is called continually & continuously lethargic & low in his persistence.
"If, while he is standing...
"If, while he is sitting...
"If, while he is lying down, there arises in a monk a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harmfulness, and he does not quickly abandon, dispel, demolish, or wipe that thought out of existence, then a monk lying down with such a lack of ardency & concern is called continually & continuously lethargic & low in his persistence.
"But if, while he is walking, there arises in a monk a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harmfulness, and he quickly abandons, dispels, demolishes, & wipes that thought out of existence, then a monk walking with such ardency & concern is called continually & continuously resolute, one with persistence aroused.
"If, while he is standing...
"If, while he is sitting...
"If, while he is lying down, there arises in a monk a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harmfulness, and he quickly abandons, dispels, demolishes, & wipes that thought out of existence, then a monk lying down with such ardency & concern is called continually & continuously resolute, one with persistence aroused."

Whether walking, standing,
sitting, or lying down,
whoever thinks evil thoughts,
related to the household life,
is following no path at all,
smitten
with delusory things.
He's incapable,
a monk like this,
of touching superlative
self-awakening.
But whoever —
walking, standing,
sitting, or lying down —
overcomes thought,
delighting in the stilling of thought:
he's capable,
a monk like this,
of touching superlative
self-awakening.

Thanks and metta,

Starter

PS 1: Drawbacks of sensuality, ill will and harming

The drawbacks of sensuality:

see http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html#s Sensuality

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html

Ill will: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html#i

AN 10.80: ten reflections to help overcome hatred ["One does not get worked up over impossibilities" (when it's out of one's control?)]

Dhp 3:
"Whatever harm an enemy may do to an enemy, or a hater to a hater, an ill-directed mind inflicts on oneself a greater harm.
Neither mother, father, nor any other relative can do one greater good than one's own well-directed mind."

The sources of conflict and hostility: MN 18, DN 21, Sn 4.11, Sn 4.15

MN 18:
"The sort of doctrine, friend, where one does not keep quarreling with anyone in the cosmos with its devas, Maras, & Brahmas, with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk; the sort [of doctrine] where perceptions no longer obsess the brahman who remains dissociated from sensuality, free from perplexity, his uncertainty cut away, devoid of craving for becoming & non-becoming. Such is my doctrine, such is what I proclaim."

"If, monk, with regard to the cause whereby the perceptions & papañca (proliferation) assail a person, there is nothing there to relish, welcome, or remain fastened to, then that is the end of the obsessions of passion, the obsessions of resistance, the obsessions of views, the obsessions of uncertainty, the obsessions of conceit, the obsessions of passion for becoming, & the obsessions of ignorance. That is the end of taking up rods & bladed weapons, of arguments, quarrels, disputes, accusations, divisive tale-bearing, & false speech. That is where these evil, unskillful things cease without remainder."

DN 21:

"The world is made up of many properties, various properties. Because of the many & various properties in the world, then whichever property living beings get fixated on, they become entrenched & latch onto it, saying, 'Only this is true; anything else is worthless.'"

SN 4.11
"Conditioned by name & form
is contact.
In longing do graspings,
possessions have their cause.
When longing isn't
mine-ness does not exist.
When forms have disappeared
contacts don't touch."

"... the sage, ponders dependencies.
On knowing them, released,
he doesn't get into disputes,
doesn't meet with becoming & not-becoming:
he's enlightened."

As the only thing that's good to kill: SN 1.71
What to do if someone is angry with you: SN 7.2, SN 11.4
What to do when Anger arises: Thag 6.12
The best response to Anger (a debate between two deities): SN 11.5
Anger can carve into you like an inscription in stone: AN 3.130
Anger can never be conquered with more anger: SN 11.4, Dhp 3
"Anger" (Dhammapada XVII)
The dangers of giving in to anger: AN 7.60

In war, there is no winning side: SN 3.14, SN 3.15
Only forbearance, never revenge, can bring an end to war: Mv 10.2.3-20

SN 4.15:

"When embraced,
the rod of violence [physical/verbal/mental violence]
breeds danger & fear:
...
Seeing nothing in the end
but competition,
I felt discontent.
And then I saw
an arrow here,
so very hard to see,
embedded in the heart.
Overcome by this arrow
you run in all directions.
But simply on pulling it out
you don't run [to any of the destinations of rebirth],
you don't sink [into any of the four floods of sensuality, views, becoming, and ignorance].

Whatever things are tied down in the world,
you shouldn't be set on them.
Having totally penetrated
sensual pleasures and passions [kama],
you should train for your own
Unbinding.
Be truthful, not insolent,
not deceptive, rid of divisiveness.
Without anger, the sage
should cross over the evil
of greed & avarice.
He should conquer laziness,
weariness,
sloth;
shouldn't consort with heedlessness,
shouldn't stand firm in his pride —
the man with his heart set
on Unbinding.
He shouldn't engage in lying,
shouldn't create a sense of allure in form,
should fully fathom conceit,
and live refraining from impulsiveness;
shouldn't delight in what's old,
prefer what's new,
grieve over decline,
get entangled in
what's dazzling & bright.

I call greed
a 'great flood';
hunger, a swift current.
Preoccupations are ripples;
sensuality, a bog
hard to cross over.
Not deviating from truth,
a sage stands on high ground: a brahman.

Having renounced All,
he is said to be at peace;
having clearly known,
he is an attainer-of-wisdom;
knowing the Dhamma,
he's independent.
Moving rightly through the world,
he doesn't envy
anyone here.

Whoever here has gone over & beyond
sensual passions —
an attachment hard
to transcend in the world,
doesn't sorrow,
doesn't fret.
He, his stream cut, is free
from bonds.

Burn up what's before (past),
and have nothing for after (future).
If you don't grasp
at what's in between [present]
you will go about, calm.

For whom, in name & form,
in every way,
there's no sense of mine,
and who doesn't grieve
over what is not:
he, in the world,
isn't defeated,
suffers no loss.

To whom there doesn't occur
'This is mine,'
for whom 'nothing is others,'
feeling no sense of mine-ness,
doesn't grieve at the thought
'I have nothing.'

Not harsh,
not greedy,
not perturbed,
everywhere
in tune:
this is the reward
— I say when asked —
for those who are free
from pre-conceptions.

For one unperturbed
— who knows —
there's no accumulating.
Abstaining, unaroused,
he everywhere sees
security.
The sage
doesn't speak of himself
as among those who are higher,
equal,
or lower.
At peace, free of selfishness,
he doesn't embrace,
doesn't reject,"
the Blessed One said.

Harming:

Non-harming/Non-violence leads to happiness after death: Dhp 132
As a supporting condition for Awakening: Dhp 270
Isn't all there is to the Buddhist path: MN 78
The story of Angulimala the bandit: MN 86
How a wise person moves in society: Dhp 49
"The Rod" (Dhammapada X)
"Non-violence" (Study Guide)

PS 2: the first step to cultivate right thinking might be non-unrighteous greed / non-covetousness, non-ill will/non-hate, non-wrong view. The above-mentioned steps can be applied as well.

MN 41:

"And how are there three kinds of mental conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct?Here someone is covetous: he is a coveter of another's chattels and property thus: 'Oh, that what is another's were mine!' Or he has a mind of ill-will, with the intention of a mind affected by hate thus: 'May these beings be slain and slaughtered, may they be cut off, perish, or be annihilated!' Or he has wrong view, distorted vision, thus: 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed, no fruit and ripening of good and bad kammas, no this world, no other world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously (born) beings,[1] no good and virtuous monks and brahmans that have themselves realized by direct knowledge and declare this world and the other world.'[2] That is how there are three kinds of mental conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct."

"And how is one made pure in three ways by mental action? There is the case where a certain person is not covetous. He does not covet the belongings of others, thinking, 'O, that what belongs to others would be mine!' He bears no ill will and is not corrupt in the resolves of his heart. [He thinks,] 'May these beings be free from animosity, free from oppression, free from trouble, and may they look after themselves with ease!' He has right view and is not warped in the way he sees things: 'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the next world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are brahmans & contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.' This is how one is made pure in three ways by mental action." — AN 10.176